stopped by the discussion about traffic in mount pleasanthad not felt as if I had the energy for such a gathering
but I figured that I could multi-task
so I walked up to Lamont Cleaners to drop off a suit to be dry cleaned for a holiday party
then popped into the Mount Pleasant Library for the meeting
never intending to stay for the full duration
I arrived a few minutes late which of course was pretty much on time
as things were just on the verge of getting started
all the chairs were filled so I stood in the doorway at the back of the room
as time passed others arrived late behind me
it was a gathering of the usual suspects
Council member Jim Graham was there as well as some folks from the neighborhood ANC
the topic was traffic
but it was not entirely clear what was being discussed
there was some Target bashing
but I did not by the bite
as I have seen some of those barking shopping at COSTCO
a Target in the neighborhood will reduce traffic
even if that traffic is the elimination the need to drive to northern Virginia to shop at everyone's favorite box store
I did not stay that long... but I stayed long enough
in my stay I had seen that there were a good number of people present to represent my views
there were people who are parents
I saw people I knew were parents who had arrived on bicycle
as well as cyclists who live in group houses
there were an assortment of familiar faces that I recognized from walking my dog
so I figured I could best serve the world by returning home to my family
this was just one of many preliminary meetings on the topic
unlike several other of these meetings the bicycle was mentioned
I was shocked when the DDOT representative spoke so confidently about how supportive DDOT is about cycling in Washington
because I have always seen cycling as an after thought in the DC Master Plan
then again
maybe I am displacing the actions of the DC drivers upon the thought of DDOT
either way
much of the discussion was to block the notion of the creation of Mount Pleasant Main Street into a ONE WAY STREET
there were restaurant and store owners there in objection
very few seem to think this is a good idea
I am taking the stand... we do not need dramatic change... we just need to enforce some laws and control some behaviors
with a few minor tweeks